Improvement in machine for sowing- plaster, grass-seed, and grain



(dritti-112.11" gieten A. W. 'M CKAY, or ELKHART','I1NDIANA.1

Letters Patent No. 93,729, elated August 17, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACINE .FDR SOWING- PLASTER, GRASS-SEED, AND GRAIN.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it ma/y conce/rn Be it known that I, A.W. MCKAY, of Elkhart, Elkhart county, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Sewing Plaster, Grass-Seed, and Grain; and I do 'hereby declare that'the following is a' full, clear, and exact descripton of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to .the annexed. drawings, making apart of this specification, in which-fvFigiue l represents the top view of the hexagonal box -Ag also, the valves or buttonse, and the wheel n, which, bytm'ning, moves these buttons', so as to.

diminish or increase the quantity of plaster or seed to be sown.

Figure 2 represents an end view of the circumference of the hexagonal box.

Figure 3 represents the inside of the hexagonal box.

Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the machine.

.This box is about ten inches in diameter, and about nine feet in length, having six angles, and bars of wood, m, at each angle, extending from one end of the box to the other end.v

These bars are about one and a-half inch `through, and nearly in hexagonal shape, andare placed in their position for the purpose ofi forming the frame-work of the box, and, to these bars, the sheet-iron, or other thin metal, forming the outward enclosure of the box,-

is nailed or screwed.

These bars, or their' equivalent, must be there, or so placed to prevent the plaster or seeds from sliding when the box is revolving, as, in this case, the discharge would be irregular, which is prevented by the bars lifting the plaster 0r grain, and giving it required motion.

In these bars, I drive pins, about three inches apart. These pins,( fig. 2, 1),) are made of Wire, oneeeighth of an inch thick, and left standing out about half an inch, for the purpose of smashing or breakingup and vpnlverizing the plaster.

In the inside of the box, I have. about four divisions, made of thin boards,.or iron, (as shown in fig. 3, 11,) for the purpose of preventing the plaster and seeds sliding and working to one end of the box, when pass-.

ing or travelling on sideling or descending ground.'4

Between these bars just spoken of, and equal-disltance from each, I have six other bars, (fig. 3, S,) e`x tending whole length of the box.

To these bars, I fasten my buttons or valves, by driving-screws through the buttons down through the sheet-iron into these bars, which bars are about hal-f an inch square.

I make these buttons of .common hoop-iron, one inch wide, -three and a half inches long, and punch a hole in each near the centre; also, punch another hole near one end.;- and before fastening them, as

above written, I'fasten them bywood screws, through Y the end holes, to a bar, (iig. 1, t,)and place them one inch apart.

This bar is one-half an inch square, and, the buttons being fastened or pvoted intheir centre, and then fastened to this bar, as above specified, the' size of the discharging-holes can be enlargedor diminished by moving this'bar, or sliding it one way or lthe other, which movement ismade by turning the wheel n, g. 1, as this wheelacts (operates) the same as screwinga nut on 0r o bolt, its periphery Working between forks, u, fig. 1.

. These discharging holes are made ler punched through the sheet-iron, equal distance from the centre of the button fv, and ina zig-zag manner, one on each side of each button c', all of which is represented in iig. Tl, and in iig. 3, where the holes are' marked e I mount my box on a frame, made of four pieces of common three-by-four scantling, as represented in iig. 4, y y y a On each end fthis frame, I have an axle, on which the carriage-wheels a a, g. 4, revolve.

To one of these wheels, I fasten a cog-wheel, iig. 4, B, about one foot in diameter, whieh'meshes into a pinion about four inches in diameter, which pinion is fastened to the axle on which the hexagonal box re- `volves, so as to give about three revolutions to the :.box to one .ofthe carriage-wheel. In making my box in hexagonal shape, there are sixequal sides, each side being tive inches Wide; and, that the box may be easily filled, or replenished with plaster or grain, I hang one of these sides on hinges,

so as to openand shut just like a horizontal door; and, when replenishing, I never fill the box more than 'twofthirds full, so .that the seeds may'have a free cir-l culation, or be somewhat agitated, so as to bolt ont through the holes evenly and freely. W,'in fig. 4, represents the tongue, to which the team is attached; and

X is seat for-the driver. What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' 1. The arrangement of the buttons .or valves o', in

relation to the openings fn, for closing or enlarging the latter, as specified.

.2. The. bars m, and pins P, in combination with the cylinder A, openings l1,andvalves c', as specified.'

' A. W. MCKAY.

Witnesses:

vA. BUeBnn,

Rosanna Benen. 

